The Chiefs defense improved in 2006. But thereís still plenty of ground to make up to get that unit at the level that Herm Edwards expects. On the special teams, there are several questions that must be answered in this off-season, including one big one.

How can the Chiefs generate a pass rush from the middle of their defensive line?
This defense has two good pass rushers coming off the edge in Jared Allen and Tamba Hali. Linebacker Derrick Johnson also produced 4.5 sacks from the outside.

They had no pressure coming from the middle. Chiefs defensive tackles James Reed and Ron Edwards produced just 3.5 sacks on the season. The teamís defensive backs produced five sacks.

Outside pass rushers like Allen, Hali and Johnson should create sacks for the guys inside, and vice-a-versa. But that didnít happen with the Chiefs. They finished the season with 32 sacks. Correlation or not, in their seven losses the Chiefs had a total of six sacks.

A defensive tackle that can generate push in the middle of the pocked would have to rank at the top of the Chiefs wish list for 2007.

How can the Chiefs defense improve its production at linebacker?
At one outside spot, they have a good player in Johnson. The only thing that slowed him down was a sprained ankle that cost him playing time. Kawika Mitchell holds down the middle, but heís also soon to be an unrestricted free agent. Although he led the team in tackles last year with 118, the Chiefs will not overpay to keep Mitchell.

Even if they do work out a deal with Mitchell, thereís talk about moving him to the outside.

Right now, the Chiefs need a third linebacker to join those two, whether itís outside or in the middle (if Mitchell moves.) In two seasons, Kendrell Bell has shown heís not the answer and given his first significant playing time, Keyaron Fox did nothing to convince the Chiefs that heís the answer.

Whatís the future at cornerback?
If the Chiefs keep Ty Law on the roster, along with Pat Surtain, would give them one of the oldest cornerback duos in the league. Law will be 33 during the 2007 season and Surtain will be 31 years old. There are no reliable backups. Benny Sapp is a contributor, but more for his blitzing and ability to disrupt at the line of scrimmage than anything in coverage. Lenny Walls is in the mold of Eric Warfield: some physical gifts, but those are overshadowed by his inconsistency.

Whether they address it this year or next, the Chiefs must move some talented young cornerbacks into the pipeline.

Has Danteís Inferno flamed out?
There are questions on the special teams side involving kicker Lawrence Tynes and snapper Kendall Gammon. But the biggest question that must be answered by the Chiefs this year is the future of Dante Hall.

In the 2006 season, he was a non-factor in the offense, with just 29 touches and only 215 yards. Those are the lowest totals in the last five seasons.

On returners, Hall struggled all season. He hit a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third game of the season against San Francisco. On 53 kickoff returns, he had just three over 40 yards and no touchdowns. His 22.8-yard average was his lowest on kickoff returns in the last five years.

Hall had problems dealing with the new coaching staff and approach to the kicking game. Under Dick Vermeil, Hall was one of the head coachís favored sons and the feeling was mutual. It was Vermeil that pumped life into Hallís career back in 2001 when he took over the team. Hall was pretty much allowed to handle the returns as he wished. That wasnít the case in Ď06, when he got extra scrutiny every time he ran away from the wedge, or made poor decisions on whether to return the football.

Right now, the Chiefs and Hall have to decide if they have a future together. Hall is not an ascending player. If he can adapt to how Herm Edwards and his staff are handling the special teams, thereís a chance he can still be effective. If not, it may be time to part ways.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Carl Peterson.

If you look at the wedge blocking the Bears' special teams unit does, it's no wonder why Hester is so damn successful. The problem isn't Hall, it's just piss-poor execution and blocking on special teams.

Thing is I don't trust Preiffer or any other coach on this current staff to fix that problem in one season. I'm all for dumping Hall in favor for a super fast guy who will just flat out take what's given to him and hit the gaps as hard as he can. We may not be able to make big plays anymore, but at least we can avoid dumb mistakes.

He's not a "problem" he is adequate and not a glaring gaping hole on D, IMO
the problem with bell is we paid for his potential and he didn't live up to it.

remember the joke about potentially and reality? The young boy asks his father the difference and he tells his son to ask his mom if she'd sleep with Robert Redford for a Million dollars and his sister if she'd sleep with Brad Pitt for a million.

The boy came back with a yes from both women and the Dad says; "there's you answer, POTENTIALLY we're millionaires, but in REALITY we live with a couple whores."

If you look at the wedge blocking the Bears' special teams unit does, it's no wonder why Hester is so damn successful. The problem isn't Hall, it's just piss-poor execution and blocking on special teams.

disagree ....... Hall is part of the problem

he doesn't put much pressure on the coverage team to hold the middle of the field. Opposing coverage unit know that they just have to maintain containment and not let Hall's dancing pull them out of their lanes.

Hall is afraid of the big hit and it has taken away part of the return game.

I don't think our ST blocking is anywhere near as good as the Bears. Not even close. Every time we have a punt return, Dante is facing a 1-on-3 situation it seems like. He probably does dance too much on kick returns, but on punt returns our blocking is always terrible, it's almost like we aren't blocking anybody. Go watch some of the punt returns from this season, you'll see Dante have to take on two or three guys. I'd bet if you gave him Devin Hester's blocking you'd see some action.